Improvement in pumps and condensers for motive-power engines



M.VMARGHANT. l Pump and Gondeiser for Motive Power Engines, &o.

No. 2OI,542. Patented March I9, 1878.

O" Oi O `O N. PETE-RS, PHYOJJTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D4 C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

ROBERT M. MARCHANT, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN PUMPS AND CONDENSERS-FOR MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES, &c.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 4201,542, dated March19,1878; application filed December 15, 1877 patented in EnglandNovember 2l, 1876.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT MUDGE MAR- GTIAN'I,v of London, England, haveinvented certain new and useful improvements in compressing andcondensing steam, a mixture of steam and air, or other gases, formotivepower engines and other purposes; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings,

forming part' of this speciication.

Figure l is avertical section, Fig. 2 a front elevation, and Fig. 3 aplan view, of a pump and condenser constructed in accordance with myinvention. A

Myinvention relates to an improved method and means of applying thatproduction or expression of heat which is due to the compression ot'steam or other vapor or gas from the saturating water or liquid suppliedto such steam, vapor, or gas when under compression, and partly to meansfor the production and application of a new gaseous fluid formotivepower purposes.

Such improved methods and means are based partly on my discovery of thelaw that any vapor or gas can be compressed without any thermometricalproduction or expression of the increased temperature due to itscompression, if, during such compression, it be so saturated with aliquid thatall the heat evolved by its compression shall be taken up bythe liquid and expressed in vapor out of such saturating-liquid; andthat such process can be effected without destroying the elasticity ofthe steam or vapor. y

In carrying out my invention, by the introduction of air into theapparatus by which I apply the aforesaid law, I produce the aforesaidgaseous iluid for motive purposes, as hereinafter described.

According to my method of eectin g the first-named result, the wholeoperation is conflned within the pumps, which are constructed for thepurpose, and which compress steam (or other vapor or gas) under water orliquid saturation, and supply, for example, the boiler of an enginelwith saturated steam.

To eect the second result-that is to say, the production 'of a newgaseous iiuid for motive purposes-I onlyneed an ordinary forcing.- pump,to introduce air in the proper quantity into the aforesaidcompression-pumps.

I construct the compression-pump, or the iirst of my series ofcompression-pumps, of such capacity of pumping-power as shall deliverthe proportion of exhaust-steam which is to be compressed as steam withevery revolution of the engine; and I make the pump rod or rods of thispump of tubes, working through glands, in the ordinary manner. I slotthese tubes in suchmanner as to connect them with thin copper or othercompartments, which are perforated or bored to receive the pipes, and insuch manner as to put the interior of eachcompartment in communicationwith the interior of the tube. I then thread these compartments on thetubes, making the jointsy between them and at the ends by means 'ofrubber washers, which close up the slot in the tube whereit is not inconnection with a compartment. When all the 4compartments are threadedon with alternate washers the whole is screwed up tight by means of aback nut or other suitable contrivance at each end for the purpose; orthe compartments may be built up in one structure by means of brazing acenter ring of metal onto a compartment, (in the place described asoccupied by the rubber,) the second compartment being brazed again ontothis ring `then a center ring is brazed onto the other side'of thissecond compartment, and so on for the whole series. There would, in suchcase, only remain the end joints to be made, and the compartments couldbe tested for tightness in one operation.

I keep the ends of the tubes forming the pump-rods open to theatmosphere, and by means of these tubes I convey into the copper.compartments external air, saturated in its passage by water from theopen end of one of these tubes.

By such means I can regulate the condensation by giving a greater orless supply of water to the air, so as to make either a good or inferiorcondensing medium, and I obtain an enormous condensingsurface in a smallspace. I then deliver the steam-charge for compressionv 011 the top ofthe water in the pump, and the vbetween the compartments.

Asteam that I require to be condensed into water (for the purpose ofsaturating such steam- `chargewhen under compression) below the externalcondenser or other pumping arrange-- ments. By such arrangement,therefore, the

' whole of the exhaust-steam is delivered into the pump. The proportionto be compressed as steam is delivered forward with the stroke -of thepump, and the proportion that has to be condensed for the purpose ofsaturatng the former charge is condensed in the pump itself, and the lawhereinbefore named by which such process is effected is applied in acomplete and economical manner.

To the pumps employed inicarrying out my invention, I add chambers forthe reception of the aforesaid saturated air-condenser. l provide, by anarrangement of valves, for the compression of the charge of air, steam,or other gas to be delivered over the water or other required liquid inthe pumps for the purpose of effecting such compression of the charge;and I provide for the maintenance of such water or other liquid in thepumps by delivering the remainder of the steam or gas charge below suchliquid, so that it shall pass upward by the action of gravity throughthe liquid in which the condenser works with the fullest attainableconvenience for coming in contact with the condenser itself, by whichprocess such proportion Aof the steam or other gas supply will becondensed, and will, by such process of condensation, maintain thequantity of saturating-water or other liquid intact, the Whole operationbecoming one of continuous circuit, and the only addition required beingthat for the purpose of supplying gland, cock, or other leakage.

- Referring to the drawing, E and E are two chambers, one on each sideof a pump-piston, F, which has a very short stroke in the bar rel G, therequisite capacity being obtained by a great diameter of thepump-chambers. A B are two pipes, which act as pump-rods, and on lthesepipes are a number of condensercompartments, H H, the pipes beingslotted to allow of communication with the interior of suchcompartments. Between the compartments are rubber washers, which closethe slots in the parts of the pipes A B which are The lower pipe A isopen at both ends, so that the external air,enterin g atboth ends, maycirculate through the compartments H H,and pass into` the vupper pipe B.This pipe is formed at one end with a bell mouth or funnel, I, overwhich is a cock, from which cold water can be percolated for thesaturation of the air in its passage through the compartments; andIprefer to 'slot the portion of the pipe B for the iirst set ofcompartments only at its top, while the portion for the second set, aswell as both portions of the lower pipe A, are slotted both at top andbottom. The other end of the pipe B works in/a gland (not shown) orother contrivance attached to a Xed pipe, the other end of which is overthe furnace, so that the air may be sucked through and delivered in itsheated state over the re.

If special velocity of circulation be required, it can be increased bypercolating a little coaloil into the Xed pipe through which such heatedair is led from the condenser.

It is evident that such circulation of the air Vis determined by thecharacter of the vacuum into which the hot air rushes, so that when, bythe application of a minimum of oil, there is flame at the outlet of thepipe in the furnace, such vacuum is nearly perfect, and the rush will beunder the pressure of the exter nal air into the vacuum at the end ofthe pipe, Whatever such vacuum may be. y

Such application of hot air to the furnace is also one by which smokewill be' consumed in the furnace itself without that check to itsevaporating power which arises from the admission of cold air for suchpurpose.

C is a storage-chamber, which, when the pumps are in action, is filledwith vapor. The steam introduced by the pipe K is delivered, at itsalready attained compression, to the pumpchambers E E alternately abovethewater therein through the valves l) D and passage L L, and thecompressed charge, saturated with water, is delivered from the saidchambers through the passage L and through similar valves into thestorage-chamber C. Further, steam which is required to be condensed isadmitted to the chambers E E below the Water (by preference at thebottom of these chambers) through suitable valves. (Not shown.) theplace of the water taken up by the compressed steam.

Fig. 4 shows one of the condenser-compartments, vH H, and one manner ofattaching these to the slotted pipes A B.

These compartments can be constructed in various Ways-the one shown, byriveting and distance-pieces. Another way would be by indentations,which should meet each other, and fulfill the duties ofthedistance-pieces5 and when these compartments become an article ofcommerce this latter system will be preferable, and the plates will bestamped, so as to be indented whereirivets are shown, and round theedges, so that they can be brazed together in pairs, the indentationsanswering the purpose of the distance-pieces. Y

It will be observed that all pressure is eX- ternal to thecondenser-compartments, and that the object of the distance-pieces orindenrlhe steam thus condensed supplies tations is -to maintain anydetermined separation of the two sides of any condenser-compartment.

Although I have described my pumps and condensers as applied to steam ormotivepower engines, they are applicable to other A'gases for the samepurpose, or to other purposes where it is required to compress andcondense steam or other vapor or gas-in ether or other gas machinesused-inthe manufacture of ice, for example; or condensers, constructedas described, can be used to condense steam or other vapor or gasadmitted to a chamber containing the condenser, and without compression;and, instead of the condenser being constructed in the manner described,the pumps may contain condensers of any other form which will affordsufficient surface to carry out the condensation of the steam or vapor,for the purpose explained.

In working engines in which a portion of the exhaust-steam is utilizedin its condensed state-that is to say, as boiling water-to saturate therest of the exhaust in the state of vapor while being forced to theengine-boiler,

as hereinbefore described, I have employed a" series of pumps worked instages of compression, or what is now known as the stage process 7 thatis to say, the exhaust-steam and the saturating-water havebeencompressed in the iirst pump of a series of pumps. The compressedmixture has then been passed onto a second pump, where it has beenfurther compressed, and so on through the whole series of pumps, in eachof which it receives a further compression, together with the increasedtemperature due to such further compression, and from the last pump ofthe series the steam saturated with water has been passed forward to theboiler at the full pressure due to the last stage of compression.

But I have, in practice, found difficulty in getting. up the requiredpressures because steam. mixes with water of its own temperature and thepump-piston plays in such mixture as it does in steam alone. By repeatedexperiments I have, however, found that, by pumping a permanent gas or amixture of permanent gases, such as air, into the steam, any determinedpressure can be obtained in the air and steam, when saturated with waterto any desired extent, without the production of those temperatureswhich are in other cases produced by steam according to its pressure.

Steam can thus be made use of, so that its latent heat may be appliedfor any continuous action-for example, the exhaust-steam from an enginev can be-pumped, together with air and hot water at any determinedpressure and temperature, into the boiler from which such engine issupplied.

A part of my invention consists in the combination, with one or morecompression-pumps provided with condensers, as hereinbefore specified,of a pipe, port,' or passage for the introduction of air into thecompression-chambers of said compression-pumps, to mingle with the steamduring the compression of the l same, as aforesaid. A

I do not confine myself to any particular kind of air-pump, or to anyprecise location of the lpassage for the air from said air-pump intosaid compression pump or pumps.

In the drawing, K' represents such a pipe, port, or passage, throughwhich air, taken from the external atmosphere, `is forced from anysuitable air-pump into the compressionchambers, passing, in thisinstance, first through the pipe K, whence, after undergoing one stageof compression with the intermixed steam, the mixture may be, ifdesired, delivered to other pumps for further .compression, or to thepump E for final delivery into the boiler.

The amount of air necessary to enable the required pressures andtemperatures of steam to be attained is comparatively small-for instance, for an engine of five hundred indicated horse-power thedimensions of the airpnmp required would not exceed a cylinder of fourinches bore, having a stroke of twelve inches.

The final temperature of themixture depends upon the proportion of waterand air supplied to the steam; but in no case is it below thetemperature of the steam-supply.

It will be seen that the production of the gaseous mixture of saturatedsteam and air may be obtained in any compression-pump without thecondensers H H, by supplying the said pump with hot water through aseparate pipe or passage, to saturate the steam when the said mixture ofsteam and air is compressed.

I claiml. rEhe combination, withV a compressionpump, of one or moresurface condensers placed within said pump, the interior or interiors ofwhich condenser or condensers receive cold air, or a mixture of cold airand water, that circulates through said condensers, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

2. rlhe combination, with the pump-chambers E E andv pump-piston F, -ofone or Vmore tubular piston-rods, A B, with attachedcondenser-compartments, the interiors of which communicate with theinteriors of said rods t through the slots in said rods, substantiallyas and for the purpose` speciiied.`

3. ,The combination of one or more slotted pipes, A B, and one or4 morecondenser-compartments, H, the interiors of which communicate with theinteriors of said pipes through the slots in the said pipes,substantially as described.

et. The combination, with a pump or pumps for compressing a gaseousmixture of air andl saturated steam, and a pump for forcing said mixtureinto a steam-boiler, of apipe, port, or

passage for the introduction of air into said In Witness whereof I, thesaid ROBERT oompressionpumps, substantially as and for MUDGE MAROHANT,have hereunto 'set my the purpose set forth. hand this 5th day ofOctober, 1877.

5. The production of a gaseous mixture of air, steam, and'Water,bypumping air irst R. M. MARCHANT.

into a compression-pump supplied With hot Water and steam, and thenpumping the said Witnesses:

mixture forward for motive-power purposes, I. C. MENBURN,

or back into the steam boiler or generator, GEO. C. BACON,

substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 'Both of 169 FleetStreet, London.

